FADE IN: EXT. SPACE In the distance, a single star shines brightly. The camera ZOOMS closer to the star, slowly at first, then gaining speed, until we arrive in EXT. ALGO STAR SYSTEM - DEZORIS |
|
Camera quickly PANS across the system itself, focusing on the first planet. |
|
Finally, the camera PANS to the middle planet, the beautiful green world of Palma. |
|
The camera ZOOMS closer to Palma, until it actually enters the atmosphere, and arrives at a EXT. MEADOW - DAY A young girl, six years old, happily runs with her older brother through the grass of the meadow, down a hill. The nine year old boy, NERO LANDALE, runs ahead of his younger sister ALIS LANDALE. |
|
OPENING CREDITS roll as we see the children slowly grow up together in a MONTAGE of scenes. As they grow older, they continue to grow closer. We do not see parents; though they have caretakers, Nero and Alis, for the most part, only have each other. Even as they age into teenagers, the two obviously remain close. Finally, we see Alis as a 15 year old girl, and Nero as a handsome, smiling 18 year old young man. CAPTION: SPACE CENTURY 342. CAMINEET ON PALMA. |
Suddenly, Nero is no longer handsome and smiling. His face is now badly bruised and bleeding, while he grimaces in pain, his nose mere inches from the pavement of the street.
Two SECURITY OFFICERS clad in high-tech combat armor kick the defenseless Nero and pummel him with the butts of the laser rifles they carry.
After a few more kicks to his head, the security officers nod in appreciation of a job well done.
After the cops are safely gone, a hesitant crowd gathers around Nero. Pushing to the front of the crowd is a woman, SUELO, and right behind her comes a man, NEKISE. Each of them appear to be in their late 30s or early 40s.
EXT. CAMINEET - STREET - DUSK
It is now much later in the day, and Alis walks the streets of her city as the sun sets. She has obviously been crying, and her tears have not altogether stopped.
She stops in her tracks and watches as down and across the street, two more of Lassic's Cops stop a woman walking down the street, holding the hand of a child.
As Nekise and Alis walk in the front door, Suelo quickly calls their attention to the newsbeam.
INT. LANDALE HOME - ALIS'S ROOM - MORNING
Alis, obviously packing for a long trip, places things in a backpack. She finishes, zipping the backpack, and then throws it over her shoulders, heading towards her bedroom door.
INT. LANDALE HOME - MAIN ROOM - CONTINUOUS
When Alis steps into the main room, she is somewhat shocked to see Nekise and Suelo sitting on the sofa, waiting for her. At first, Alis is unclear as to what their intentions are. She opens her mouth as if to speak, but Suelo beats her to it.
Alis again emerges from her bedroom. Her backpack is still across her shoulders, but this time, she is clad in a striking suit of armor, and she carries in her right hand a short sword.
Alis breaks away from Suelo to look towards Nekise.
Alis strolls down the street confidently, her sword in a scabbard that hangs from her belt, and the Laconian Pot hanging from the side of her backpack.
She approaches the gates of the city -- specifically, a small dome which contains an elevator that leads down to ground level. (The city Camineet rests on a platform above the ground.) Two of Lassic's Security Cops guard the dome. One of them sees Alis approaching, and he nudges his companion in the ribs to get his attention. They chuckle, and wait for Alis to approach.
When the elevator's descent ends, Alis steps out into the grassy plain and looks around. The Camineet residential district is surrounded by a tall wall. A roadway -- also elevated off the ground, like Camineet -- connects the city to the spaceport, which is connected to another nearby city, Parolit.
However, Alis's attention is focused on the opening in the perimeter wall -- her destination, the first step on the road to Scion.
She takes a deep breath, looks towards the sky.
In a MONTAGE of scenes, we watch as Alis marches her way east across the Palman prairie. First, we see her walking through high grass, swinging her sword before her, half in an effort to clear a path, half simply to keep herself occupied.
Next, we see her stopping in the middle of a field of short, green grass. She has tied her hair back in a ponytail, and she stops to drink water from a canteen.
In the next scene, we see Alis walking through a path in a small grove of trees. There is a rustling in a nearby shrub, and Alis quickly draws her sword from her scabbard, keeping her eyes focused on the jostling in the shrub.
A second later, a small squirrel tentatively pokes its head out of the shrub, and glances at Alis. Alis smiles, puts her sword away, and then motions for the squirrel to cross the road. It quickly emerges from its hiding place and disappears up a tree on the other side of the path. Alis continues on.
Finally, we find Alis in another field, this one mostly wide open except for a few trees. Alis sits at the base of one of the trees, her backpack off and resting in front of her, as she pulls a burger from her bag and starts to unwrap it.
A small fly buzzes her head and her food; she shoos it away with her hand. It circles back, comes in for another pass. Again, she dismisses it with a wave.
Suddenly, a much, much larger fly -- a Sworm -- buzzes past her head, knocking into it, and tossing Alis onto her side. Her burger falls from her hand as the Sworm swings around for another pass. She at least sees it coming this time, but still, all she can do is roll out of the way.
As it comes around buzzing for another pass, she covers her head and rolls again, then again. Finding herself near her knapsack, she quickly unhooks the Laconian Pot, and as the Sworm flies around towards her again, she swings the Pot through the air. It slams into the Sworm squarely, almost instantly flattening the bug, which is then knocked against the nearby tree. It then falls to the ground and does not move.
Out of breath, more from shock than physical exertion, Alis looks at the dead Sworm -- a fly bigger than her head -- and then looks at the Laconian Pot in her hand.
Alis steps into the city of Scion, a dock town near the ocean. The men who worked on the docks before Lassic closed the ports sit around near their ships, nothing better to do than look at Alis suspiciously as she strolls down the street, casually taking in her surroundings.
She pauses, looks upon a group of dock workers who are staring at her. A 15 year old girl with a sword isn't something one sees every day. She gives them a cautious smile. They scoff and turn away.
Eyeing a nearby general store, Alis turns and walks towards it, stepping inside.
INT. SCION GENERAL STORE - CONTINUOUS
The store is an Algoian version of a convenience store, and the man behind the counter, Whitman, watches Alis as suspiciously as the dock workers did.
The darkness of the room tells us it is night, and the room itself is lit only by candles. Here, in the center of the room, the king of the Algo system, Lassic, kneels on a cushion, surrounded by candles, some in tall candelabras, some sitting directly on the floor. He seems to be in meditation, his eyes closed.
There is a knock at the room's single wooden door.
Alis walks down the street, Suelo at her side. The
sun is just rising above the city. In the distance, a
space ship takes off from the nearby spaceport.
INT. PAROLIT EXOTIC PETS STORE - THAT MOMENT
The shopkeeper, Keeth, has just returned to his post
behind his counter as the two women enter the store.
Alis and Suelo start to look around the store.
In it, a yellow cat -- a cat with tall, long ears like a rabbit and a fluffy, bushy tail like a squirrel -- stares her down with its big green eyes. It looks out past its cage at her from a rigid face, betraying no emotion but mild curiosity. Around its neck is a small bottle of pink fluid.
EXT. PAROLIT - OUTSIDE PET STORE
Alis and Suelo leave the pet store, the Musk Cat trotting ahead of them by a few steps.
Across the way, Alis spots more stores. She gestures for the others to follow, and they move across the street.
EXT. PAROLIT - A MOMENT LATER
They enter a space between two stores, and start
walking their way around behind the buildings. Alis
again crouches before Myau.
FADE TO BLACK
EXT. CAMINEET - STREET - DAY
A kick from the first security officer turns Nero around, flat on his back.
The second officer smashes his boot down onto Nero's nose.
The second security officer raises his laser rifle and fires a single shot into Nero's chest. The already brutalized Nero yells in agony as the officers walk away, chuckling softly to themselves.
Suelo gently cradles Nero's head in her lap, with the careful demeanor of a trained healer.
Nekise looks away towards the back of the crowd, motions for someone to hurry over.
A moment later, Alis finds her way to the front of the crowd, where she REACTS to the sight of her badly beaten brother.
She runs to his side and takes his hand into her own. He looks at her, with his nose crushed, one eye swollen shut, his cheeks purple with bruise...
Nero's eyes flutter.
Nero dies in Suelo's lap. Alis lays her head down on his wounded chest and cries. The crowd around him disperses in melancholy, until only Suelo, Alis, and Nekise remain.
FADE IN:
Nekise comes up behind Alis, placing a hand on her shoulder, and they continue walking.
Alis looks back over her shoulder at the woman and her child and the two security cops.
(turning back to Nekise)
(shrugs)
INT. LANDALE HOME - NIGHT
The three of them gather around the newsbeam, and watch as KING LASSIC himself appears on the screen.
(stunned)
An image of Nero, as if from an ID card, comes on the screen in a small corner box. Suelo and Nekise react to the image. Alis reacts simply by staring, calmly, at the screen.
Having heard enough, Nekise angrily turns off the newsbeam.
Suelo attempts to calm her husband.
Nekise and Suelo turn to Alis, who still stares blankly at the now darkened newsbeam screen.
Nekise places an arm around Alis.
Alis snaps out of her trance, looks to Nekise.
Alis starts out of the room.
Alis lowers her head. She understands their concerns, but they do not yet understand hers.
Alis leaves the room. Nekise and Suelo remain, unsure what to do.
FADE IN:
Alis smiles; there won't be any resistance to her leaving. Suelo stands and walks towards Alis. Alis meets her halfway and they share an embrace.
Suelo steps to a satchel that lays in front of the sofa. She picks it up and hands it towards Alis.
Alis takes the bag, but unprepared for its weight, she drops it to the floor with a loud metal bang.
Surprised by the weight and the sound, Alis kneels down and unties the bag. She peeks inside, reacts with surprise...
INT. LANDALE HOME - FRONT ROOM - MINUTES LATER
Again, Alis and Suelo hug. Meanwhile, Nekise stands and steps towards the women, his hands behind his back.
He brings his arms from around his back, and in them he holds a small metal pot.
Alis and Suelo exchange an amused grin, holding in their laughter.
(slightly defensive)
Alis takes the pot and smiles.
She leans forward and plants a kiss on his cheek. Nekise then pulls her towards him for a close hug.
EXT. CAMINEET - STREET - DAY
Alis glares at the Cop.
Stepping past the Cops, Alis steps into the dome's elevator and descends.
She then starts walking towards the opening in the wall.
EXT. PALMA
(a chuckle)
Alis sits back down for the rest of her lunch.
EXT. SCION - DUSK
(hesitant smile)
Before answering, Alis closes the store door behind her, and starts to step across the shop, towards the counter.
Alis detects the slight sarcasm in Whitman's voice but chooses to ignore it.
Whitman breaks out into laughter.
Suddenly, Whitman isn't amused anymore.
Alis pauses, stares the man down. Whitman is silent, unable to make words.
Alis turns and heads for the door. As her hand rests on the handle, ready to open it--
Alis turns, drills her eyes into the shop owner.
Alis takes two steps back into the shop, away from the door.
(laughs)
(shrugs)
(raises eyebrow)
(interrupts)
(nods)
INT. DARK CASTLE - LASSIC'S CHAMBER - NIGHT
The door opens and in walks Lusar, Lassic's aide. His robes are similar in style to Lassic's, except where Lassic's are painted in dark reds and blues, and trimmed with yellows, Lusar's robes are as jet black as his hair.
Lusar enters the room, closes the door behind him. Lassic opens his eyes, pausing from his meditation, but he does not stand or turn towards Lusar; he remains kneeled on his cushion, back to his aide.
Lassic reacts to the report of the unrest and despair
amongst the people with a smile.
(closes eyes)
(starts to leave, pauses)
Lusar leaves, closing the door behind him. Lassic
immediately returns to his meditation.
EXT. PAROLIT - EARLY MORNING
(glances at the Laconian pot hanging from Alis's belt)
Across the street from where Alis and Suelo stand is a
store marked "EXOTIC PETS." A man opens the door from
the inside, steps out and flips the CLOSED sign around
to read OPEN, and then steps back inside.
(with a smile)
The two cross the street and head inside the shop.
Alis glances around the shop. The cages and tanks scattered around the room contain small, furred animals and fish. A monkey-like creature shrieks to grab Alis's attention. When Alis flashes it a smile, it ceases its cacophony, and silently chirps to itself.
She glances to Alis, still unaware of just why, exactly, they're here. Alis is in her own world, glancing around the store... until she sees a cage stationed behind the counter.
(points to the yellow cat)
Keeth glances back at the Musk Cat, then looks over
Alis and Suelo.
(again interrupting)
The cat's ears raise up the slightest bit. The cat obviously wishes to betray nothing, but that small hint is enough for Alis, who has been making eye contact with the animal the entire time. She catches the almost imperceptible ear movement and smiles broadly at the animal. The cat makes no response.
Alis and Suelo exchange a glance.
Keeth is now the one confused.
(shrugs)
Alis reaches into a small bag tied to her belt, pulls out some coins.
(a polite smile)
Suelo steps forward.
Alis looks Keeth in the eye, then again stares at the Musk Cat. Suelo puts her hand on Alis's shoulder; she's ready to leave.
Keeth has Alis's attention again.
Alis and Suelo share another look. Alis unhooks the pot from her belt and takes it into her hands.
Alis smiles, hefts the pot in her hands, as if she needs the time to think it over. She and Suelo share a smile.
(under her breath)
She hands the pot to Keeth.
The cat -- who is indeed Myau -- stops, turns around,
rests on his hind legs... and speaks.
Alis and Suelo simply stare at the cat for a long
moment.
Suelo simply stares, her mouth dropped open. Alis crouches down before Myau.
Alis glances around. Armor-clad Security Officers patrol the street, stopping a man to check his ID and question him.
Both Alis and Suelo instantly SHHHHH Myau, and they
glance around to make sure no security officers
overheard them.
(a whisper)
Myau shakes the bottle that hangs around his neck.
(smiles)
Myau's ears fall.
He stares at her for a moment, his mouth almost turned
up in a mischievous grin. Then, he utters only a soft
meow.
The three of them walk back towards the street.
Be careful out there! |
||||
Please send all comments and feedback to mike at ripplinger dot us |